Month: Aug 2021

Posted in Adult Fiction, Blog Tour, Contemporary Fiction

Today I am delighted to be joining the blog tour for Nobody’s Perfect by Stephanie Butland

Posted on by LovetheSmellofaBook

My Review

Oh wow, I took this book on holiday with me and instantly lost myself between the pages as we meet Kate and Daisy and got to know and witness firsthand their daily battles.

Daisy was born with cystic fibrosis when Kate was just 19 and since then everything in Kate’s life has dramatically changed as it is now all about keeping Daisy healthy. A story that provides insight into how cystic fibrosis can cause so many complications within a tiny body and highlighting how this is not the definition of who the person and instead is just a part of them. I personally find this element really easy to empathise and connect with as when you have a health condition, people often recognise you as the person with, rather than the person you actually are.

This story is so heartwarming, at times it breaks your heart in two but then heals it again as Kate & Daisy continue to make memories and deal with the normal highs and lows of being five. There is a wonderful assortment of characters in this book emphasising that it takes a village to raise a child and to accept the help and support where it is available to ensure you feel less alone and remember that you also have to look after yourself.

A great story that I raced through and felt so much empathy for the characters, I was disappointed to reach the end of this wonderful journey with Kate & Daisy.

Book Blurb

Does your past define your future?

When her daughter was born with cystic fibrosis, Kate Micklethwaite vowed that Daisy would never be defined by the illness. Kate is determined that her perfect little girl will be known for her love of butterflies and croissants and nothing else. Kate does all she can to be the perfect mother – whatever that means – and yet, somehow, has started seeing herself the way others see her: single parent, source of small-town scandal, drop-out, former mistress. Half a family.

When Daisy starts school, Kate meets her new teacher, the kind and charming Mr Spencer Swanson. Now, with more time on her hands Kate can start thinking about her own future. With her Open University dissertation deadline looming, Kate needs to decide what she wants next. But as she and Spencer get to know each other, Kate notices that people are whispering behind her back once more . . .

Available to purchase here

Meet the Author

Stephanie Butland is the author of beloved bookshop tale ‘Lost For Words’ and her new novel ‘The Curious Heart of Ailsa Rae’, released in ebook and paperback 19th April 2018 (available for pre-order now).

Stephanie lives in Northumberland, close to the place where she grew up. She writes in a studio at the bottom of her garden, and loves being close to the sea. She’s thriving after cancer.

Social media

Twitter
Facebook
Website

#LostForWords #TheCuriousHeart #AilsaRae

Many thanks for the invitation to read and review your latest release.

Massive thanks to everyone who has stopped by to visit my blog, please remember to like and share to help spread the book love far and wide!

Have a great day

Daisy, Jacks & Kel x

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Posted in Adult Fiction, Blog Tour, Chick Lit, Contemporary Fiction

Today I am joining the blog tour for Did You Miss Me? by Sophia Money-Coutts

Posted on by LovetheSmellofaBook

My Review

Did You Miss Me? is my first book by this author and one that I quickly wanted to pick up and continue reading.

A fun read that makes you laugh and cringe throughout, when Nell is forced to return home to look after her Dad and step away from her well organised regimental life you just don’t quite anticipate the next chain of events that take place.

I found this story fun and light hearted to read, it makes you reminisce of teenage love and past heartbreak.

Nell is a driven character who after heartbreak set herself a goal and has since had plans in place to keep climbing the career ladder. I loved the nicknames that were given to clients and the insight into the law company where Nell is working to become partner. I didn’t like Gideon as a character which wasn’t surprising with his stuck in the past methods and the way he spoke down to Nell really rankled me.

Full of great descriptions and located amongst gorgeous scenery, a perfect story to make you laugh and escape from the trials of every day life.

Book Blurb

You never forget the one that got away, do you?

Nell Mason is extremely happy with her life – or at least, that’s what she tells herself. She’s lucky to have a high-powered job as a lawyer, even if it does come with an eccentric set of billionaire divorce clients. And she’s absolutely fine living with her sweet, if slightly dull, boyfriend Gus in their London flat where they have very sensible sex once (OK, sometimes twice) a week. She’s definitely not stuck in a rut.

But when Nell bumps into childhood friend and first love Arthur Drummond who broke her heart fifteen years ago, she’s more than a little shaken. The seemingly perfect life she’s worked so hard for starts to feel, well, less perfect. Maybe Nell’s been kidding herself all these years. Can she ever get over her first love?

Available to purchase here

Meet the Author

Sophia is a British journalist and author who spends most of her time writing at her kitchen table in West London and making 59 cups of tea a day. She has written two novels – The Plus One and What Happens Now? – and hopes to carry on writing books that make people laugh forever. Because we could all do with more of a laugh, these days, couldn’t we? Sometimes, if she’s not drinking lukewarm cups of tea in her leggings at home, she appears on radio and television talking about important topics such as Prince Harry’s wedding and the etiquette of the threesome.

Many thanks for the invitation to read and review your latest release.

Massive thanks to everyone who has stopped by to visit my blog, please remember to like and share to help spread the book love far and wide!

Have a great day

Daisy, Jacks & Kel x

Posted in Blog Tour, Chick Lit

What a way to kick off a lazy Sunday with my review for Escape to the Hummingbird Hotel by Daisy James

Posted on by LovetheSmellofaBook

My Review

I love books by Daisy James and can’t believe I hadn’t already read this one! The story is set in Corfu where Abbie has mysteriously inherited a hotel from an Aunt she never met. In this story we follow Abbie as she embarks on an adventure to solve mysteries of the past and agree the sale of the hotel so she can fund her dream cottage and gardens.

Within the first few pages I loved Abbie’s character and the bond she has with her best friend Em. I quickly started to fly through the pages as Abbie got to know the locals who bordered with her Aunt’s property and how the businesses worked together to stay afloat.

A story rich in friendship and loyalty, with lots of lovely Greek delicacies and wine from the vineyard being enjoyed in the sunshine. This story will instantly lift your spirits and transport you to a gorgeous sunny location, a total breath of fresh air that left me feeling serene and eager to read more about the adventures of Abbie. I’ve already downloaded the next book in this series and can’t wait to start reading it.

Book Blurb

When florist-to-the-stars Abbie Coleman catches a glimpse of her boyfriend through the window of Tiffany’s, she couldn’t be more excited. Keen to share her happiness, she organises a huge surprise party for all their family and friends… except things don’t quite work out as she expected, and instead of planning a flower-filled wedding, she finds herself single, and fired from a job she loves.

Desperate to escape her heartbreak, she jets off to her aunt’s quirky Hummingbird Hotel on the gorgeous island of Corfu. Little did she know that instead of spending her time lounging by the pool, drinking cocktails, and soaking up the sun, she’d be stepping into the role of the island’s newest hotelier.

The arrival of unexpected guests sends Abbie into a tailspin of panic, and she’s forced to turn to snippy, but charismatic, vineyard owner-turned-chef, Nikos Angelopoulos, for help. Why does the kitchen fill with smoke whenever she makes coffee? Why is there a naked man swimming in the pool? And why do the hotel’s toiletries turn their guests’ hair pink?

Despite all the chaos, the Hummingbird Hotel works its magic on Abbie, and she finds herself with a decision to make. Will she return home to the drizzly grey skies of London? Or will she take a leap of faith and embrace the new opportunities that little corner of paradise has to offer, and maybe, just maybe, discover a sprinkle of romance along the way?

Available to purchase here

Meet the Author

Daisy James loves writing stories with strong heroines and swift-flowing plotlines. She especially likes to create sunshine-filled settings in exotic locations – the Caribbean, Tuscany, Cornwall, Provence – so she can spend her time envisioning her characters enjoying the fabulous scenery and sampling the local food and drink.

When not scribbling away in her peppermint-and-green summerhouse (garden shed), she spends her time sifting flour and sprinkling sugar and edible glitter. She loves gossiping with friends over a glass of something fizzy or indulging in a spot of afternoon tea – china plates and teacups are a must.

Daisy would love to hear from readers via her Facebook page or you can follow her on Twitter @daisyjamesbooks or on Instagram @booksdaisyjames.

Many Thanks to Rachel’s Random Resources for the invitation to join the blog tour. Please remember to like and share to help spread the book love

Thanks for visiting Love the Smell of a Book today and I hope you have a great day!

Daisy & Kel x

Posted in Adult Fiction, Blog Tour, Chick Lit

On this very wet and windy Saturday afternoon, I am delighted to share my review for One Lucky Summer by Jenny Oliver

Posted on by LovetheSmellofaBook

My Review

In this story we meet Ruben & Zadie as Zadie arrives to spend the summer with her Dad, straight away we get an insight as to the strain of their relationship as Ruben struggles to get to know his daughter. Whilst out exploring they discover a plastic box that had been left behind many years ago from a treasure hunt that never happened. This unlocks the door to some long forgotten memories as Ruben reaches out to the sisters that the treasure hunt was designed for.

During the first half of the story we get to meet everyone who is going to play a vital role in the story and get an insight into their life styles all these years on and their personalities. The summer that happened many years ago changed everyone’s life unimaginably and now is time for them all to put those thoughts and feelings to bed so they can move on with their lives.

I found the second half of the book gained momentum really quickly and the raw emotions start to become evident as difficult conversations take place. The treasure hunt plays a key role throughout this story and we got to learn more about everyone as they worked to find clues and learn more about eachother.

Another great read from an author I always enjoy, this book made me laugh amongst all of the underlying emotion of the story. A great story about turning lemons into lemonade.

Book Blurb

With an air of faded splendour, Willoughby Hall was an idyllic childhood home to Ruben de Lacy. Gazing at it now, decades later, the memories are flooding back, and not all of them are welcome…

In a tumbledown cottage in Willoughby’s grounds, Dolly and Olive King lived with their eccentric explorer father. One of the last things he did was to lay a treasure hunt before he died, but when events took an unexpected turn, Dolly and Olive left Willoughby for good, never to complete it.

But when Ruben uncovers a secret message, hidden for decades, he knows he needs Olive and Dolly’s help. Can the three of them solve the treasure hunt, and will piecing together the clues help them understand what happened to their families that summer, all those years ago?

Available to purchase here

Meet the Author

Jenny Oliver is a bestselling author of contemporary fiction. Twice nominated for the RNA Best Contemporary Novel award, Jenny’s books explore the ups and downs of relationships and an unwavering belief in happy ever after. In the past she has had jobs ranging from an elf in the Disney store, a personal trainer, journalist, editor and now, by far the best, a writer. In her spare time she can be found cajoling her family out to car boot sales, trying to reign in her competitiveness on the netball court and subtly eavesdropping on strangers’ conversations as inspiration for her next book.

Follow her on Twitter @JenOliverBooks Instagram JenOliverBooks Facebook JennyOliverBooks or go to the website jennyoliverbooks.com to find out more about Jenny, her books and read her blog!

Jenny’s new books – The Summer We Ran Away and the first in her YA series Chelsea High – are out now!

Many thanks for the invitation to read and review your latest release.

Massive thanks to everyone who has stopped by to visit my blog, please remember to like and share to help spread the book love far and wide!

Have a great day

Daisy, Jacks & Kel x

Posted in Blog Tour, Younger Readers Age 9-12

Lets kick off my Saturday blog tours with a review for Middle School Mayhem 1 – Down with the Dance by C.T Walsh

Posted on by LovetheSmellofaBook

My Review

Today I am sharing my review for a fun story that will capture kids imaginations as they meet Austin, his brother Derek and the very unpopular headmaster.

Derek and Austin are brothers who although born within the same school year don’t particularly get on due to very different personalities. When Austin meets Sophie and decides he wants to ask her to the dance, Derek steps up and does all he can to stop Austin in his tracks.

A fun and engaging story with great descriptions that includes some illustrations scattered throughout the pages. This will make kids laugh and also want cower in the corner when Principal Buthaire is on the war path. I liked the age group this book was targeted at and think the younger kids will be keen to keep reading and discover whether Austin manages to stop his brother ruining the school dance.

This is the first book in the series and after a promising start which I am sure will capture your child’s imagination, I look forward to reading more by this author.

Book Blurb

Meet Austin Davenport, whose fabulous luck landed him on this earth only eleven short months after his brother, Derek, putting them in the same grade. While Austin’s brain power is unmatched, it appears as if his brother got all the athletic gifts and the family butt-chin, meaning their parents love Derek more than Austin, or so it seems. 

Join Austin on his journey through the tumultuous waters of middle school as he navigates the swampy and undeodorized hallways and explores the depths of the cafeteria’s seafood surprise. 

Oh, and someone is plotting to take down the Halloween Dance, the one that Austin has his sights set on, so he can take Sophie Rodriguez, a girl way out of his league, but who doesn’t seem to know it.  

Can he stay one step ahead of the new principal who has it out for him? Will Austin figure out who the perpetrators are? Will he save the dance in time? Will he wear a diaper on a stakeout?  

This first in a planned series of twelve will have you ROFLing like you never have before. 

The funny and fast-paced nature of this series is meant for middle grade and early young adult readers.

Available to purchase here

Meet the Author

Besides writing fun, snarky humor and the occasionally-frequent fart joke, I love spending time with my family, coaching my kids’ various sports, and successfully turning seemingly unsandwichable things into spectacular sandwiches, while also claiming that I never eat carbs. I assure you, it’s not easy to do. I know what you’re thinking: this guy sounds complex, a little bit mysterious, and maybe even dashingly handsome, if you haven’t been to the optometrist in a while. And you might be right.

My goal with my writing is to engage young readers with fun and adventure. With so many competing forms of entertainment available to our kids (and so many of them mindless), I really try to provide a reading experience like no other.

I value the importance of combining fun with learning and life values. My stories are humorous and adventurous with strong characters and solid life lessons with some potty humor sprinkled in. You gotta give the kids what they want…Hey, it’s better to read fart jokes than to play video games, right?

https://www.facebook.com/ctwalshauthor

https://www.instagram.com/ctwalshauthor/

Many Thanks to Rachel’s Random Resources for the invitation to join the blog tour. Please remember to like and share to help spread the book love

Thanks for visiting Love the Smell of a Book today and I hope you have a great day!

Daisy & Kel x

Posted in 5*, Blog Tour, Non Fiction

Today I am sharing a review for a very different style of read from the Power of You series – Learning How to Leave by Michael Padraig Acton

Posted on by LovetheSmellofaBook

My Review

Today I am sharing my review for Learning How to Leave which has recently been released in the non fiction charts. This book is factual and discusses narcissistic and toxic behaviours and how to recognise character traits and behaviours.

I have really enjoyed reading this book as it covers a lot of definitions and provides a lot of information with regards to narcissism in a really clear and understandable format. I have always found human behaviours interesting and this has further increased this fascination as we learn from both the authors personal experiences and through case studies he has provided to help it be relatable throughout. Written with both the abuser and the abusee in mind as it gives tips of behaviour to recognise in dependents and codependants along with recommendations to help offer the abused the feeling of empowerment to hopefully find the confidence to create the space to escape the abuser and take control back of their own life.

I liked the variation of examples provided as we are walked through films that display the narcassistic behaviour as well as naming the most dangerous narcassists of the last century. Chapter 10 focuses on domestic abuse and the many manifestations this can present in as the narcassist manipulates you to believe you are in the wrong and causing massive strain within the relationship as you doubt everything that you do and say and lose your own identity and the relationships of family and friends who would normally help support and ground you within every day life. As we near the end we read about the unhooking process and the six stages of change and how life is still affected even after you have found the strength to break free.

A highly recommended read both for those who are trapped in relationships with a narcassist as well as those who are interested in personalities and how they manifest. A book brimming with information, examples and other recommended reading material for each chapter.

Book Blurb

This popular book is dedicated to freeing those stuck within toxic relationships. Compassionately grounded in science and embedded in the author’s 30 years plus of clinical experience, this is nevertheless an easy and powerful read.

Available to purchase here

Meet the Author

Michael Padraig Acton is a psychological therapist, counsellor, systemic life coach and author with 25 years’ clinical experience. Working in the UK and US, originally from England and Ireland, Michael specialises in helping couples, families and individuals. He has extensive training in approaches including applied clinical and counselling psychology, CBT, psychoanalysis and psychodynamic, Jungian, Gestalt, systemic and transactional analysis, as well as holistic forms of therapeutic alliance such as mindfulness.

www.mpamind.com

Many thanks for the invitation to read and review your latest release.

Massive thanks to everyone who has stopped by to visit my blog, please remember to like and share to help spread the book love far and wide!

Have a great day

Daisy, Jacks & Kel x

Posted in Chick Lit, Cover Reveal

#CoverReveal Today I am so excited to be helping reveal the cover for My Ten Year Crush by Olivia Spring

Posted on by LovetheSmellofaBook

I love a cover reveal and can’t wait to share with you another colourful design for this new release. I discovered Olivia Spring last year during lockdown and immediately loved her style of writing and was excited to hear she is getting ready to release another book. My Ten Year Crush sounds like an entertaining story full of humour and hopefully some romance.

Book Blurb

My Ten-Year Crush: From Friends to Lovers…
The first kiss wrecked their friendship. Could a second chance lead to love?
 
English teacher Bella isn’t having much luck with her love life. No matter who she dates, no
one seems to measure up to Mike: the ex-bestie she shared a drunken kiss with ten years ago, which led to the end of their friendship…
 
When Bella comes face-to-face with Mike at their university reunion, sparks fly. He’s smart, funny and even hotter than before, and despite trying to fight her feelings, Bella still can’t get him out of her head.
 
But after what happened the last time she stepped out of the friend zone, Bella isn’t in a hurry to be rejected all over again.
 
Should Bella risk more heartache by telling Mike how she really feels? Could the attraction be
mutual? Or is it finally time to put her past behind her and say goodbye to a second chance at love, forever?
 
My Ten-Year Crush is a fun, sexy, friends-to-lovers romcom about second chances and stepping out of your comfort zone.

Ideal for fans of Beth O’Leary, Mhairi McFarlane and Lindsey Kelk.

Meet the Author

Olivia Spring is a British, London-based writer of contemporary women’s fiction, sexy chick lit and romantic comedy. Her uplifting debut novel The Middle-Aged Virgin, which was released in July 2018, deals with being newly single in your thirties and beyond, dating, relationships, love, sex and living life to the full.


In addition to The Middle-Aged Virgin, Olivia has published five novels: The Middle-Aged Virgin in Italy, Love Offline, Losing My Inhibitions, Only When It’s Love and the sequel When’s The Wedding? Olivia’s seventh novel, My Ten-Year Crush, will be published in September 2021.

When she’s not writing, Olivia can be found enjoying cupcakes and cocktails and of course, seeking inspiration for her next book!


Social Media Links


https://twitter.com/ospringauthor

https://www.facebook.com/ospringauthor/


https://www.instagram.com/ospringauthor/


http://www.oliviaspring.com/


https://www.bookbub.com/authors/olivia-spring

Cover Reveal Time

I hope you have enjoyed reading the blurb as much as me and are excited to grab yourself a copy and find out whether Bella decides to take a chance on love again after her disastrous kiss with Mike…..

So are you ready to take a peak at the cover?

Available to pre-order here ready for release day on 30th September

Watch this space for a review coming soon, as I can’t wait to read and review My Ten Year Crush and see what happens between Bella & Mike

Many Thanks to Rachel’s Random Resources for the invitation to join the blog tour. Please remember to like and share to help spread the book love

Thanks for visiting Love the Smell of a Book today and I hope you have a great day!

Daisy & Kel x

Posted in 5*, Adult Fiction, Blog Tour, Historical Fiction

Today I am delighted to be stepping back in time with The Secret Diary by Anna Stuart

Posted on by LovetheSmellofaBook

My Review

I am so happy to be sharing my review after reading another wonderful story from Anna Stuart based between the end of World War II and present day. We meet Lorna who has had the carpet ripped out from underneath her and persuaded by her best friend goes to stay with her Mum whilst she grieves and moves forward with her boys.

Whilst staying with her Mum she discovers a diary in the annexe from World War II and finds herself propelled into the world of the gunner girls and starts to heal her heart as she discovers long forgotten stories and a few secrets from these wonderful ladies.

A story rich in history, written with great care and empathy. I am a massive fan of this author and once again have loved devouring this story and learning more about the gunner girls and the importance of the role they fulfilled when so many men had been sent to war and they needed brave women to step up and join the ranks to help protect the country.

I loved being transported back in time in this story and found the descriptions vivid which really enhanced the story as it played out in my imagination. I can’t wait to see what this author releases next as her books are always a superb read.

Book Blurb

Two women. One house. And a wartime secret that spans decades…

Norfolk, 1945: Only a few months ago Nancy Jones was fighting for her country as a gunner girl. Now she’s struggling to adjust to her responsibilities as a gamekeeper’s wife. After a whirlwind romance, Nancy is deeply in love with her handsome husband Joe but there is still so much they don’t know about each other. When a secret from Nancy’s war years threatens to resurface, will the terrible truth about the worst night of her life shatter their new marriage?

Norfolk, 2019: Devastated by the sudden loss of her husband, Lorna Haynes escapes to the beautiful but crumbling Gamekeeper’s Cottage. There, she stumbles upon a locked room. When she enters, it’s like going back in time. A soldier’s uniform hangs on the back of the door, the flowery wallpaper still intact, the spindle of the record player frozen and ready to play. At the back of the room, Lorna discovers a red, leather-bound diary in a hidden compartment of a desk drawer.

As Lorna battles with heartache, she takes comfort in reading the ink-stained words. Turning the pages of the old book, she learns of the incredible bravery of the woman who lived in the house decades before her. And discovers a shocking wartime secret that will change the course of her own life…

Fans of The Nightingale, The Alice Network, and Lilac Girls will love this unforgettable, poignant tale of love, loss and courage during the darkest days of war.

Available to purchase here

Meet the Author

Anna Stuart lives in Derbyshire with her campervan-mad husband, two hungry teenagers and a slightly loopy dog. She was hooked on books from the moment she first opened one in her cot so is thrilled to now have several of her own to her name. Having studied English literature at Cambridge university, she took an enjoyable temporary trip into the ‘real world’ as a factory planner, before returning to her first love and becoming an author. History has also always fascinated her. Living in an old house with a stone fireplace, she often wonders who sat around it before her and is intrigued by how actively the past is woven into the present, something she likes to explore in her novels. Anna loves the way that writing lets her ‘try on’ so many different lives, but her favourite part of the job is undoubtedly hearing from readers.

You can reach her on Facebook @annastuartauthor or Twitter @annastuartbooks.

Many thanks for the invitation to read and review your latest release.

Massive thanks to everyone who has stopped by to visit my blog, please remember to like and share to help spread the book love far and wide!

Have a great day

Daisy, Jacks & Kel x